Shillings, Shop Crisis, Spaghetti Letters & Sheep
by TheBoglies
Summary: New story in the Letters Series by CarrieAnne
1. Parts 1 and 3

**Shillings, Shop Crisis, Spaghetti Letters and Sheep Show Shenanigans**

**By: Carrie-Anne**

**Chapter One---Mud puddles **

I told the Devil and the deep blue sea to hide  
I thought that you were after them  
I was right  
But it's a picture I'll always keep in mind  
Where you say I've never been even liked  
For anything truly mine

And you did it - looking as you are  
Looking as you are

Love enters, and leaves you through your eyes  
You threw away the only thing that I like  
And ought tell ya, that things will be alright  
It never really seems that way, late at night

When you did it looking as you are  
Looking as you are

Now I know, that the world's not waiting for you, nor for me  
And I know that the world gets heavy, will change?

'Cause you did it looking as you are  
looking as you are

Now you're gone, I stand on my own

Embrace

If Glenbogle had anymore rain, the village would need a huge ark in order to float around the village. As another tremendous 'freak' rain storm swarmed in, pelting rain upon the Glenbogle House, the Scot pines, and left drip drop rings while it hit the waters of the loch aside from puddles on the lane. In the distance, Susan glided towards the house---whoosh went the air and around and round went the bike wheels as she pedaled right foot, left foot, and right foot, left. Susan inhaled and exhaled while pedaling and the rain showered down upon her hair, outer clothing and sneakers.

The blacktopped, red smiling bucket vacuum cleaner zipped, zoomed and sucked up dirt and dust from the red and white antique carpets, as six months pregnant Lexie 'cleaned' the sitting room. Lexie stepped her right foot onto the off button on the machine. She nodded satisfied with her cleaning job and studied the room. The twins' and Minnie's toys were put away in a toy box, Minnie's playpen with blankets hanging off the side over to a far corner and the twins napping mats and bedding were stored in a draw just below the window seat.

Lexie wandered over to a cleaning bin perched on the maroon divan and snagged out a dust rag as she was about to clean the lampshades which sat on tables beside the fireplace. Archie had made sure to childproof the fireplace by placing a few boards across and up from the floor.

Lexie, still in her dusting mode, began picking up and setting down, moving left to right, each family photo and art piece on the white mantle. The first snapshot was of Archie and her on their wedding day. She then lifted up the cherry clock which ticked the time of 3pm, and a photo of the twins, Jayne and Wayne at birth.

Lexie also dusted a corner table which sat photos of Molly and Golly out in the garden sitting on Jamie's bench, a six year old Lizzie dancing on Hector's feet taken at what looked like a MacDonald clan gathering, and school head shots of Nigel and Martha. Lexie's mouth danced into a smile at the snapshot of silly goofy faces and all grins of Lili and Duncan with Minnie. Lexie had taken that photograph last summer at Archie's 35th year birthday party on the beach. _The only photo missing, Lexie's mind chimed was a shot of Paul with Susan._

Lexie completed wiping down the photos. As she started tidy up the children's books into a stack on the end table which once sat Archie's craft of whiskey and glasses on tray. The end table also sat near the two different paisley patterned high back chairs which Lexie fluffed two pillows and placed them on the seats while she hummed. However, in the middle of Lexie's humming, she cast her eyes out the big picture window and did a double take, "Susan?"

Lexie went to the window for a closer look and sure enough, she was correct. Lexie then stopped working and bolted out of the room to greet Susan. Lexie made it to the back of the house. As the rain reflected, bounced and splashed off of the fabric of the umbrella in Lexie's hands. Lexie was dressed in Archie's rain slicker when she went after: "Susan!"

Susan didn't turn around right away, instead she headed for the loch beach with the more rain saturating her clothing. Another round of thunder began to rumble over Lexie and Susan's heads and then a defying flash of lightning went off in the distance over the loch.

"Susan! You're gonna catch a chill out here or get a shock of yer life---come away with me!" Lexie hollered out motherly, as Susan stopped walking to the shore. Susan quickly peered at Lexie as and then tried to hide her face. It wasn't just rain streaming down her cheeks, but also tears.

"What's wrong? Susan?"

Susan turned away from Lexie, swiping tears away from her face with her hand and folding her arms together. Lexie tried to shield Susan with the umbrella, "You're soaked, come in…"

"It's over Lexie," Susan sniffled, as Lexie shuffled her under the umbrella.

"What's over?" Lexie pried giving Susan a once over look.

"Paul and I are finished."

Lexie wrapped an arm around a shivering cold Susan and carted her towards the house. They strolled into the kitchen before Susan stripped off her flimsy jacket and continued to shiver, as Lexie immediately remarked to Ewan, "Blanket or towels, get Susan something of the sort before she goes hypothermic on me!"

Susan's teeth chattered as she drew her hand to move her hair out of her face. Susan then rubbed her arms with her hands, and shivered some more. Lexie flipped up the stove top and placed on the kettle while waiting for the water to boil, she lined up to mugs.

"Here," Ewan replied, returning with a blanket as Lexie added, "Out of the room, please, Ewan."

"What—it's my kitchen? I'm in the middle of prepping supper?"

Lexie ran over to the far corner of the room, snagged off a pair of pants and a shirt off of the dry rack before nudging Ewan again, "Out, please---now Ewan."

Lexie handed Susan the clothing, as she began to strip, "Go Ewan…I'll let you know when it's safe to come back…"

Ewan shrugged impishly, hung his head, and did as he was told…deciding to find Claire and let her know her sister was there.

The rain has passed, but the over cast sky remained as Claire lifted one box of Jess's belongings into the blue pick-up truck before chiming in, "Does Da know you're moving out like this?"

"Well, Da and Molly will get back and they'll need the 'newlywed' space so in away, I'm doing them a favor by moving out now and not later. Besides with Archie renting out Da's old croft to Sean as part of their exchange, it'll be much cozier with me about," Jess smiled and chuckled too, "Good thing I pack light."

"I'd say!" Sean joked out, "An' as long as Golly doesn't stalk me out—when he realizes yer not here, we'll be equally okay!" Sean held his back like he had broken it after placing the last box into the truck. Jess thumped him in the chest and teased, "It's not like you haven't lived with me before Sean—and Da didn't shoot you then!"

"He didn't know about me then!" Sean laughed whilst wrapping an arm around Jess and assuring her, "It will be so much more exciting with you around..." Sean winked as Claire chuckled too.

"You need a lift to the house?" Jess inquired to her sister.

"Ah, I think I'll walk. I'll swing by later and see how you're both doing."

"Suit yerself!" Jess called out as she hopped up into the truck and turned over the engine as Sean waved at Claire and she waved back. Claire journeyed past Golly's cottage in the brae, down a trail, and heading back to the main house.

Claire arrived just in the nick of time, well according to Ewan.

"I've been looking fer you."

"For me?" Claire rolled her eyes, "Why's that?"

"For starts, Susan's here."

"Okay?"

"Where ya been and who chopped off your hair, Goldilocks?" Ewan mumbled as Claire stared at him. Claire, who once had beautiful long locks of reddish blonde hair, instead sported a shorter hair do...shaved slightly in the back with her top two layers just past her ears. A couple short wisps of hair, resembling a few bangs curved to her face.

"Look, Papa Bear, just because we went to the library with Duncan and the kiddos the other day, doesn't mean we're fine and dandy. No more remarks from the peanut gallery!" Claire pushed past Ewan.

"I've got plenty of remarks and their not nutty, Claire...I just wanted to know what happened to your hair?" Ewan rhymed and tried to flirt with her.

"I had it cut..."

"I liked it long."

"Hence why I had it cut!"

Ewan grumbled rather childishly, "I was going to take you home to meet my mother—well, maybe you could purchase a wig!"

Claire sighed and shook her head, "Ewan, this senseless."

"I agree, yet that's what you always liked about me...givin' ya a hard time. Actually, Claire you look very pretty today."

"After all that raggin' on me about me hair an' ya now bein' flattering? Oh joy, what did I do to deserve that?" Claire razzed Ewan and a small satisfied smile popped up on her face, one that Ewan didn't notice, while she tailed him into the house.

"Okay then, tell Lexie what the matter is-hey?" Lexie said in a perky pout, while placing a mug of tea in front of Susan.

Susan threaded her fingers through the cup holder with a reply, "Thanks," before taking a sip from the mug. Lexie arched her brow at Susan for an answer, "Everything, Lex, everything."

"Run it all by us then…" Susan tilted her head to Claire who traveled into the kitchen with her arms folded across her chest, and her short strands of reddish blonde hair tucked behind her ears.

"Claire. I thought you were…"

"Day off, good thing, you look like you need the sisterly love."

"Paul and I are done for."

"I heard the news."

Lexie handed Claire a cup of tea too and added, "Arch and Dunc took the children to the museum in Invernecky for the day."

"Ah," Susan added still in despair.

"Anyway, what's the deal?" Claire steered the conversation back to Susan and Paul's current problems…

"I'm heading out to Edinburgh tonight and Houston in the morning."

"Texas--America? Why?"

"Father's ill and on his death bed as his lawyer said and wants me there."

"And Paul's not nuts about the idea of you leaving..." Lexie added perceptively.

Susan cocked a brow and snickers, "He has this god almighty fear that I'm going to shuttle off to the moon and not return!"

"Well, you've done it before," Claire remarked sensibly.

"Yea, but not to Texas!" Susan retorted as she glared at Claire, "I was 23 when I successfully ran away on him and I know it was my fault but I was scared when I found out I was pregnant with Nigel!"

"Suz, maybe you two need the time apart so you can see how much you mean to each other," Claire suggested, "Does Nye know about you going to America?"

"Um, no, I haven't said anything because you know how he gets when I take off on business trips. And I promised him when we were settled, I wouldn't leave him again."

Lexie then spoke up, "He'll be okay, Susan."

"It's not just trip, Lex, it's everything else in between, Paul comes in late or at all hours, he's constantly focused on the Wildlife Centre or Ghillie's and I've got the paper yes, but going separate directions every day isn't---it just doesn't work—I hardly see him! Then there's Amanda."

"Amanda?" Lexie asked wondering what Amanda MacLeish was up to, aside from no good.

"Paul's been getting this attitude---I don't care for it. I don't like Amanda and Paul knows this. He says he doesn't care for her, but then he lies and when he sees her he's all gentlemanly nice---it makes me ill."

"Suz, it's okay," Claire wrapped her arms around Susan from behind as her sister sat on a stool.

"The house---ah, don't get me started on the house!" Susan shook her head and continued to rant, "Paul says the house will be ready for us to move into at the first frost, yet, he won't let me see the inside! The roof's going up thanks to Kilwillie and his workers—asked for a financial run down and Paul says, 'no need to worry, I have it covered and the house stuff is now a surprise!' I hate surprises!"

"So do I Susan, it sounds like you're going through the motions like Arch and I do from time to time," Lexie placed a hand on Susan's and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Paul's 40, I'm 36 next month and Nigel's 12, I mean…we've wasted blasted months on any possible chance of getting engaged or hitched! I want to be settled and its Paul who's holding back or something—not me this time!"

Lexie bubbly laughed, "You're getting broody…" as she pointed to her front bump and rubbed it.

Susan got teary eyed, "Oh Susan, don't cry…" Lexie hugged her, "What's the sense in water works when you got nothing to be shamed of? Paul loves you."

"Exactly, Suzy," Claire smiled at Susan.

"There's been a lot of chatting about Paul and I about having a baby, even though Nye and the baby would have such a wide age gap…I can't seem fathom the idea of getting pregnant but Paul wants a baby out of me. Then again...if I wanted to, you know, get pregnant..."

"Your body's just not ready yet."

"Or I'm over cooked like a stuffed duck! Yanno, early menopausal…" Susan grumbled, "then again you have to do, you know, in order to get---?"

Lexie and Claire both chuckled again at cynical, but loveable Susan and went, "QUACK, QUACK!"

"It's not funny I tell you! I'm ancient compared to the both of you!"

"Suzy, you are not. Many women have successfully gotten pregnant in their mid-late 30's…you just have hit a snag. I watch how Paul acts with the twins and Minnie especially---he'd make a great dad twice," Claire tried to assure her sister, which went into one ear and out the other…

"It's done with," Susan remarked pessimistically, "It's not meant to be and everything's messed up."

"Susan…"

"I'm heading out…the rain let up and I stole Paul's bicycle—might as well return it," Susan added with a sniffle, wiping her face one last time with her hand which Claire and Lexie laughed again.

Susan's mind still swam in a world of despair, contemplation and frustration especially at the thought of dealing with her father, losing Paul, and her impending voyage to Texas. Susan hated airplanes, flying, changing time zones and of course jet lag since she'd feel drunk for days.

Susan returned to Shepard's Way Cottage as she perched Paul's bicycle on the side of the house. Susan glanced around assuming Paul had left to pick up Nigel from school. Susan didn't check out the property for the land rover and she simply went inside.

"Where have you been?" Paul announced from a corner of the kitchen. He felt horrible for upsetting Susan earlier and just wanted to set it right.

"Bike ride…excuse me, I'm off to finish my packing…Nye needs to be picked up from school…"

"Lexie said she'd do it since she had to pick up Martha…I rang her wondering if she had seen you…" Paul added and followed Susan up the stairs, "Can we talk?"

"We're talking now aren't we?" Susan grumbled as she walked into the bedroom, pulled out a suitcase and began to pack.

"About earlier…"

"Nothing to say, Paul," Susan shrugged him off, something she was good at doing and something Paul hated, "My train leaves in 30 minutes. I have to go."

"Susan, we…"

"Paul, it's done with, when I get back Nigel and I will move."

"To where?" Paul started to disagree and feared losing her all over again.

"Look, you got lots of things going for you here."

"So do you."

"For as long as you work---?"

"Amanda and I are just business partners, Suzy, there's nothing between us."

"Right, I've known Sean through university and there's nothing there either."

"Good so it's settled, you stay, we continue on…"

"As what Paul? What on earth do we continue on as? Nigel's parents yes, boyfriend/girlfriend? We're on our own. Building some life together? Been under this same roof and we're still strangers to each other's deep down needs!"

"We're not."

"Yes, we are."

"What are you on about?"

"Paul, I'm the grey matter---I see it, I live it---things are black and white in a newspaper, but I'm not one of those. You haven't changed, Paul, you dwell on about everything and never take the bull by the horns and do it."

"What about our house? I helped…"

"Archie gave us land to build on. I had the savings to get the ball rolling…"

"I had the access to the loan and the planning! Susan, I don't understand what this is about?"

"You see everything black and white and no grey."

"Susan, I've been bending over backwards to keep us a float, what else do you want?"

"We talked about it, Paul. I can't believe you've forgotten?"

"Susan…" Susan shoved the last of her clothes into the suitcase and lugged it down the steps. Paul tailed behind her, "Don't go. Sorry about squabbling about your father—it's old news. I have something to show you, Suz, its important…it would only take a minute."

"I don't have a minute to spare…lately you haven't either. Look we can discuss everything custody wise when I get back. Tell Nye I'll ring when I get to Texas." Susan gave Paul one last glance, walked out of the cottage and then went straight to her car. Lexie drove in with Nigel in the SUV and Paul turned away from the door. Paul didn't even acknowledge a pregnant Lexie and traveled into the kitchen. Sitting on the kitchen table were a couple of place settings and over to the sink sat a white bowl with blue stripe around the edge, had letters…spaghetti letters, side by side, spelling out what was so important that Paul had to say to Susan: 'W-i-l-l Y-o-u M-a-r-r-y M-e?' Paul took the plate scrambled over to the rubbish and dumped the pasta and the bowl in.

Lexie scooted into the cottage and Nigel called out, "Dad? Mum?"

"In here," Lexie nodded, as Nigel smiled hoping to see both Paul and Susan and his crooked grin faded when he noted Susan wasn't there, "Where's Mum?"

"Ah, Nigel, maybe your Da and I should chat?" Lexie said, as Nigel nodded, "All right, I have homework anyway…"

Nigel hung his head with his backpack hanging to the side as he ran up the steps and Paul hollered out, "No stomping about, Nye! Dinner will be ready soon!"

"Paul,"

"If you came to talk…"

"Susan's off to America and you're acting like---?"

"Lexie, I get ready to ask her and I stumble all over my words!" Paul said putting his hands up in the air in frustration.

"You've been talking to Archie and me about it for months…asking Susan to marry you, especially once the house was up and running!" Lexie said seriously.

"I don't even have a ring!"

"What's that got to do with the price of tea in China, Paul? Archie proposed to me with a ring-pull--so you have no excuse about not havin' a ring!" Lexie replied as her eyes went to the alphabet pasta can and a bowl with a pile of pasta, "You have letter pasta instead?"

"It just came to me at the time that people propose during a meal!" Paul shrugged while stating the obvious and Lexie let out a laugh. Paul couldn't cook to save his life…except for pasta soup and eggs.

"I'm glad to humor you," Paul's mouth went into a frown.

"Ah, Paul, it's actually quite the romantic gesture and coming from you…why didn't you ask her before she left?"

"We bickered about other stuff, I s'pose—mostly about her moving out."

"Paul, marriage is hard, you compromise, you try to strike common ground…you've known Susan since you were knee high to a grasshopper."

"Point?"

"Take it, leap that is, you just jump without looking and things work right out."

"Well, I'm not leaping to America, thank-you!"

"What if you did?"

"I don't do what ifs. I don't do fairytales…"

"Susan does."

"Aye, but…"

"But what? You compromise Paul…you see where she's coming from."

"Nowhere now."

"I don't believe that. You're not Hector, Paul."

"No, I'm not my mystery father. I wouldn't send Susan away or state it as the best interest for Nigel---for him to never see me."

"Well, looks like you have some leaping to do and thinking to boot! I'll see myself out, bye Nigel!" Lexie yelled up the stairs as Nigel bellowed back, "Bye!"

**Chapter Two---Sign of Hector**

Susan stared out the airport window as her mind ran over and over the argument she had with Paul, and what she really wanted from him. Susan stood with her luggage at her feet and along the curb waiting for her father's limo to pull up. The silver bullet limo with an oxen head, bright white antlers and a high boned forehead attached to the front drove right over to Susan. And out came Mortimer with a bright grin, "Welcome home, ma'am!"

"Hi Mortimer..."

Mortimer had known Susan since she was eight years old and just coming to America for the first time. Mortimer beamed again, "This way, ma'am."

"How's father?" Susan asked carefully as Mortimer opened up a side door and Susan climbed inside.

"Don't know, ma'am, you gonna have to see for yer self," Mortimer hung his head and Susan, who hadn't registered that something was indeed wrong with her father, now did.

It didn't take long for the limo to reach Susan's father's ranch...as the vehicle drove under an log sign saying 'Higgins' and putted further down the drive. Eventually the brakes squeaked at the car came to a halt. Mortimer climbed out of the driver's seat and opened the door for Susan. Susan glanced around it wasn't a mansion or a castle like Glenbogle House, just a five bedroom dwelling surrounded by flat stocky trees, dirt, a few gardens full of plants that could with stand the 'dry Texas heat' and a swimming pool around the back. There were roads on the ranch property that lead off to a stable, chicken roost, and other farm amenities. Susan strolled towards the front entrance and Clancy her father's butler opened the door for her.

"Where's---?" Susan assumed she'd be taken to her father's bedroom and he would be so weak to move, however instead...

"Sugar Plum! Darhlin'!" Susan turned to look up at the upstairs balcony which over looked the front hall and Anthony stood there with a bright beam, in full cowboy dress.

Susan blinked, "I thought you were on your death bed? I thought you were ill..."

"Nah, Suga, of course not, I'm good as new as always!" Anthony winked and Susan turned to Mortimer, "I thought you said he wasn't doing well!"

"Susan? This is Susan! She's so down right adorable!" A brunette, who was only a year or two older than Susan came bounding down the stairs and towards her. The brunette wrapped her arms around Susan and Susan gave her father a very strange look of 'who the heck is hugging me and why?'

"Is that all you brought with you, Sweetheart! We're gonna have to fix that!" The brunette stared at Susan's suitcase amazed that she didn't have more things with her. Susan could tell this woman was quite ritzy, especially by the jewelry she wore and her hairstyle--aside from her expensive-looking threads.

"Um...yeah..." Susan gave her father another look.

"Suzy-Q! I'd like ya to meet..."

"I'm Anna! Your father's told me so much about you!"

"Funny, he hasn't said much about you..." Susan mumbled as Anna very valley girl said, "Tony, you didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what exactly?" Susan said getting a slightly aggravated.

"We're getting hitched darhlin'! Come now! How's my grandson? Where is he?"

"He's still in school and back in Glenbogle."

"You're gonna bring him here to see me, right, darhlin'!" Anthony played a different tune than the last time Susan saw him: when he tried to buy out the old forest of Glenbogle. Susan had hoped her calling the news crews would have embarrassed him enough to stay away from Glenbogle when his deal on the forest fell through---and also to keep him away from her. It didn't work that way, when Susan assumed her father was dying—Anthony knew she'd rush to be by his side.

"Paul's watching him..."

"Oh right that donkey!" Anthony sighed out, describing Paul to Anna with no class, and whistled as Anna spoke right up, "This way, enough of these formalities! Come out to the parlor for tea! You must be hungry since you slept on the plane right?"

"Actually..." Susan became increasingly uncomfortable and now assuming her father tricked her to come 'home' and see him.

"No actually! You're our guest!"

"I see," Susan said as she looked back at her father. Anna shuffled Susan to a seat and Anthony trailed behind the women. Anna sat herself down and out came Rosa, the housekeeper as she brightly beamed at Susan, "I haven't seen you in so long miss."

"How are you, Rosa?" Susan smiled at the elderly woman dressed in a blue suit with a white apron around her waist. Susan was relieved to see someone familiar and somewhat easy to talk to on the ranch as she got up to give her a hug. Anna then rudely cut in---slightly miffed at how Susan treated 'the staff'---to Anna, one wasn't supposed to be buddy with the housekeeper, "Oh Rosa! Answer that girl! Bring the tea here now!"

Rosa gave Susan an 'annoyed at Anna' look, nodded her head and grumbled, "Yes, ma'am."

Susan watched Rosa leave the room and suddenly she was alone with her father and his fiancée again.

"How old are you?" Susan pried with some sort of concern as Anna laughed, "She's jokin' isn't she, Tony? What an adorable little woman you have! Of course, I'm his first little woman! I'm 36 huney, but I don't look a day over 30!"

"Suzy-Q she's so great! You two are gonna get along fantastically!" Anthony whistled out again. Anna rubbed her nose with Susan's father as she cuddled right up to him and Susan looked like she had voyaged into a nightmare... and a point of no return.

Susan stood up from her chair and bravely added, "I need to get out of here..."

Anna looked at Anthony oddly, "You're staying for the weddin' though!"

Susan walked out of the room and didn't reply.

Anthony hopped up from his seat as Anna asked again, "Tony, she's staying for the weddin'!"

Susan's father didn't answer Anna instead he followed Susan into the front hall way as she picked up her suitcase about to leave.

"Awwwwh, Suzy-Q! Don't run off like this! I know I did some bad things months ago---but I'm a new man, don't cha know! Anna's reformed me!"

"Father, she's my age! I don't care how your reformed each other. I don't care much plastic surgery she had to make her look like Barbie! I'm outta here! I'm going back to..."

"Glenbogle, that place has no class for you, Sweet'ums!" Anthony charmed as Susan sighed. She had wandered out of the house and handed her luggage back to Mortimer, and hoping to catch a return flight back to Scotland immediately.

"I thought you were on your death bed!"

"So my own daughter will only visit me when I'm dying? Why do you think I had my lawyers tell ya so? 'Cause I had to get you here for important business some how!"

"Paul was right coming here without proof of you actually dying---was a---?"

"Oh lordy, I'm a changed man, darhlin'."

"Then why did you call Paul a donkey back there?"

"Well, he is one!" Anthony whistled again as Susan glared at her father.

"You don't get it--Paul's---Paul's a decent human being and he treats Nigel very well and is there for him! He's Nigel's father and always will be---regardless of how many times you call him---?"

" 'sides, Suzy-Q, why you here if _donkey _told you not to come?" Anthony picked up on Susan's body language, as she didn't seem pleased to be discussing anything personal or about Paul.

Susan grumbled, wringed her hands and then Anthony replied to Mortimer, "Show darhlin' to her room."

Mortimer took Susan's suitcase out of the trunk and lugged it back into the house.

"I had to be sure you were all right," Susan muttered cynically.

"Well, I'm in one piece! Come back inside, you'll see...come now!"

Susan rolled her eyes, hung her head and Anthony slipped an arm around her carting her towards the house again.

Martha was an early riser compared to her mother, as school had one more month to go before the summer holidays. Archie arrived at Lizzie and Martha's home promptly after six am. It was indeed early for Archie, but not early enough to have a cup of coffee with his sister and then Lizzie would take Martha to school.

"Morning Lizzie," Archie beamed with a packet of coffee beans from MacKechnie's Store and a bag of breakfast as Archie showed off the food bag. Lizzie eyed her brother from the sofa, as she stretched and got up, still dressed in jim-jams with her hair pulled back.

"Mummy, Uncle Archie! Time for school!" Martha shouted out as Lizzie corrected, "Time for breakfast and then school."

Archie opened the bag up, pulled out trays of breakfast sandwiches, fruit and also a juice for Martha. "Aren't you eating?" Archie asked Lizzie as he noted her yawn, "Why aren't you dressed yet?"

"Archie, it's early, coffee first, I'll put the kettle on..." Lizzie roamed up to the range and did just that, setting the kettle of water for the French press on.

"You feeling all right? A bit poorly?" Archie glanced over to Lizzie, noting she was more sluggish than usual. Archie set out the food on the kitchen table for Lizzie and Martha and sat down with his breakfast too.

"No, I'm fine, really Arch, fine...well mostly, the past week I've been really tired and sometimes overly famished," Lizzie spoke up, handing Archie a couple utensils, while Archie sighed, shrugged, peered over to his niece and goddaughter as they both dug in.

"Oh before I forget," Lizzie waltzed over to a bag on the floor near the sofa, which wasn't folded out to a bed due to it being broken. Lizzie scooped up the bag and lugged it over to her little brother, "here, next time you decide to golf on the estate, you should be more careful with the balls."

Archie gave Lizzie a very quizzical look, before blinking, "Ah well, they aren't mine."

"Then they must have been Fathers."

"Probably so, where'd you find them?"

"Martha's rucksack well over a week ago, I've been meaning to bring them up to the house but keep forgetting."

"Martha's sack?" Archie questioned as he looked over to Martha again.

"I found them when I was lost in the woods, Uncle Archie, the night of the big scary rainstorm!"

Archie tipped his head to the side, while remembering Martha and how she had run away from home the night of Golly's stag party, "Ah, yes, right."

"Archie, do you ever think about Father?" Lizzie then sat herself down at the kitchen table with the bag of golf balls in front of her. Lizzie's eyes grew with emotion that Archie couldn't describe while he answered, "of course I do."

"Do you think the golf balls were a sign of him?"

"Ah, not you too...I had a strange dream once."

"Uncle Archie, I dream and all the time!" Martha smiled as Archie smiled back, "Good thing to have dreams Martha...you hold them close to your heart, okay?"

"Okay," Martha simply put as Lizzie added, "As you were saying about this dream?"

"Oh right! I dreamt I saw Father the morning of his funeral."

"Maybe it wasn't a dream? Gerald used to say that most spirits contact you in the early morning hours—something about how the moon and the sun a line in the sky."

Archie blinked and listened to Lizzie talk about her new age ex-boyfriend and added, "Mother, Lex, and Duncan's Aunt Liz awhile back had this big brained idea to try to contact spirits in the house with a Ouija board."

"Ooohhh and I missed it?" Lizzie chimed as Archie rolled his eyes in disbelief of the Ouija board and its powers, "How eerie and fab!"

"How bogus more like it."

"Archie," Lizzie eyed him, while becoming upset at his judgments of there being a paranormal afterlife.

"Well I'm not big on witch craft and broomsticks, Lizzie. And I don't believe in ghosts..."

"Well..."

"You think the golf balls were a sign of Father, leading our wee lost munchkin here along the way?"

"The thought kept crossing my mind, Arch."

"I don't believe it, Lizzie, I'm sorry. I think Martha just found the golf balls and she luckily followed the trail to Fraser House... speaking of which...where's Graeme?"

"Aberdeen for a banking function for a few days, which leads me to ask you to cook the books for Mother's shop while she's still with Golly on honeymoon. Anyway, how are Lex and the children?"

"Lex is grouchy, snappy, and---?"

"You ran for cover here?"

Archie nodded and shook his head. He then took a bite of his breakfast sandwich, while saying with a mouthful, "She's so hormonal these days... and not someone you want to meet in a dark alley if you tell me!"

"Show me a pregnant woman who isn't hormonal."

"Aye, right, suppose. I took the dogs for a walk and she started to mention everything under the sun that I had to do today---everything that's house work, that is."

"Not many more months..."

"Thank goodness and then I'm getting the snip!" Archie replied, forgetting that Martha had been sitting there, as Martha cocked a brow, "Snip? What's that?"

"Oh, um..." Archie looked drastically to Lizzie for help.

"Uncle Archie and Mummy are just talking about haircuts," Lizzie replied to Martha sweetly whose face lit right up at the word 'haircut'.

"Haircuts? Claire had a haircut! Mummy says she'll get me a haircut after school lets out!" Martha beamed as Archie blew out a breath of relief. The last time Archie gave word about having the snip, he was having a harsh debate with Hector about marrying off and carrying on the linage. Archie decided he had helped carry it on enough now—for his sake and his family's.

"You really don't want any more babies, Archie?" Lizzie gave him a playful look.

"I'm pretty sure I'm done with it. Lexie even agreed...hopefully she won't change her mind---three's enough I say. There were three of us, you, Jamie and I. Lex never had siblings, so really it works out fine."

"I want a baby!" Martha called out, which caught Lizzie and Archie off guard.

Lizzie chuckled out, "One day poppet, one day, for now you tend to Ashley."

"Ashley?" Archie lifted a brow as Lizzie laughed again when Martha hopped out of her seat after finishing her breakfast sandwich and zipping towards her room in her school uniform.

"Ashley, Uncle Archie! Baby Ashley!" Martha came back with a baby dressed in a diaper which took a bottle that 'magically disappeared' when it was tipped upwards. Archie laughed, "I see she's hungry."

"She used to make noise...I think she might have broken during the...um, you know move." Lizzie started to talk about the disaster birthday party, but she left it to Archie to fill in the blanks which he did.

"I see..." Archie winked at Martha and laughed again.

"George and Mummy got her for me on my last birthday, right Mummy?"

Lizzie became slightly uneasy and Archie just assured Martha and her, "Well, we'll see what Uncle Archie can do for your birthday this year."

"30 days!" Martha said with a whistle as she had been counting down to her birthday with the help of Lizzie and their calendar of red-marker cross outs. Martha pointed at the calendar, "See Uncle Archie, we're counting down, Mummy says!"

Archie smiled again, "Right, thirty whole days."

"Oh, Mother will be back soon and we're planning Martha's party...and well, I think David---?" Lizzie posed a question for Archie to complete.

"Should be there?" Archie added with a hint of protectiveness.

"He is her father and the party's not until Martha's out of school..."

"David didn't press for custody, for your sake."

"Look Arch, I've talked to David about it. He did a big thing leaving the custody as is. I even suggested we decide on joint custody..."

"Are you mad?"

"Archie, it's not a big deal."

"You want him to hang out with Martha? Are you sure that's wise?"

"Archie..."

"Right, sorry, my mistake, he's her father..." Archie shrugged his shoulders and sighed again.

"Are you fighting?" Martha asked as she finished off her cup of juice and glanced at Lizzie and then Archie after listening to their tizzied squabble over her father.

"No, Sweetheart, we're not," Archie replied with high sound as he looked at Martha sweetly.

"Good 'cause I wanna see Daddy and after school!" Martha nodded her head.

Lizzie chuckled, "Not after school, this weekend and I have to talk to Daddy beforehand. Uncle Archie and Mummy should agree first..."

Archie gave in, "I might regret this."

"You might not."

"Since when are you allowing me to make a decision for you when it concerns Martha being with David? Or you dealing with him?"

"Since you're the one who stepped in when he was about to take Martha away..."

"I'm your little brother and that's what I'm supposed to do..."

"Which is?"

"Protect my big sister."

Lizzie laughed as Archie's tone went serious and flat, "Okay, I can deal with David and Martha hanging out as long as you keep a close watch on him, Lizzie. You don't know David and he could change his mind in a split second..."

"I know David, Archie. I know..." Lizzie's mind shifted to the feeling in her stomach, as she glanced at breakfast.

"What's wrong?" Archie asked as his eyes leveled to Lizzie's again.

"Nothing, I'm not really feeling so well after all."

"Maybe you should take a day, then and relax. You're off at the shop anyway, Claire's helping out since Lex has me to help her watch the children and Jess is helping out with building the sheep show amphitheater with Duncan and Sean," Archie explained and then he added quickly as he gave a run down of everything that everyone were busy doing today, "Paul and Susan broke up..."

"What?" Lizzie's eyes zipped to Archie's and her ears perked up, "You're serious?"

"She went off to America as Paul says. I saw him on my way over here—we didn't chat long. He was off to Ghillie's to deal with the inventory after dropping off Nigel at the school."

"Ah no not good and I like Susan too. I thought Paul wanted them to marry and live in their cabin in the wood?"

"Well, me too, but who knows what's to happen. It's between them both. Lexie and I are working on keeping an eye on Nigel for him. Anyway..."

"Why did Susan leave?"

"Something to do with her father—I think he's sick or something. Lex didn't fill me in on all the details and Paul seems to be Paul. I can't tell if he's down and out or not. I assume so. Speaking of school, Martha's going to be late if you don't get going...why don't I take her?"

"Are you sure you have time?" Lizzie asked as Archie responded, "I have time to drop her off at school, and then I can be at Lex's disposal once again."

Archie rose up from the table and Lizzie turned to Martha, "Time for school."

Martha ran off to gather her things as she hugged Lizzie and said, "Bye Mummy!"

"Bye poppet. Thanks Archie."

"It's my pleasure, you rest easy."

"I'll try," Lizzie gave Archie a hug too and lead Archie and Martha to the door.

Once Lizzie was alone, she made a quick beeline for the loo, opened a medicine chest which hung over the sink and snatched out..._a box with a few neatly wrapped test sticks_. Moments later Lizzie paced the hallway waiting for the test to clear...her stomach twisted in knots once again before sighing, walking into the bathroom and quickly out again, not even looking at the test. Lizzie said to her self, _"What am I going to do? Turn my butt around, go back to the loo and check out for a plus sign. And then laugh, of course, when it's really a minus..."_

Lizzie rolled her eyes and sighed before approaching the lavatory again within the hour. She made way to the sink where the test sat peacefully, glanced into the mirror at her self and then bowed her head down towards the test. Lizzie squinted at first, and then she grasped the test and parked her bum down on the closed toilet seat. Lizzie became teary eyed, "Not good...not good..." as she tossed the test into the bin.

**Chapter Three---Time Capsule**

**January 1985---Hogmanay**

_The house was quiet for most of the afternoon and Hector was off taking the dogs for a brisk walk at dusk since it was a usually mild winter with no snow, no fog, no rain and still late-autumn like temperatures. Molly and Archie were in the kitchen cutting up a last batch of black bun for their party guests that evening aside from finishing any last touches to the hall decor. Lizzie was up in her room trying on her tartan party gown as Jamie was off in his room to dress too. _

_Jamie, dressed in a football jersey and a pair of jeans, was pretty busy with other parts of his real life to go off to University in the autumn—but Hector wouldn't hear of it in any other way, especially how Jamie wanted to be a pro-soccer player. Jamie juggled a soccer ball, bouncing it off his feet, his knees, his arms and then his head as eventually he dropped the ball to the floor when he studied the pile of things on his desk. Jamie sat himself down and focused on the real reason why he was in his room: he had a black box with his initials encrypted on the lid, JJM, before him and a collection of his belongings. He was supposed to be getting ready for Hogmanay party...but Jamie wanted to build...his time capsule. _

_Ah, Father always said, one can't go back in time without a time capsule...Jamie's mind added, and I'm going to make one that I can find twenty years from now! As Jamie began to fill the box and added a few family movies first, his school awards, placed his ticket for England vs. Scotland rugby game that Hector had taken him and Archie to last year, and then added his most treasured possession, his scrapbook. He had postcards, photos of Scotland, snapshots of skiers when the family went off to Switzerland one year, pictures of his buddies on the last day of school, his A-Level scores shoved in an envelope buried at the bottom of the box and a photo of himself with his mother. _

_Jamie was also a hopeless romantic as he had kept very memento from when he first started to court Hannah Harrison. Hector didn't think much of Hannah as he just didn't want her to disturb his golden boy's studies or ruin Jamie's chances of doing something fulfilling of his life. However Jamie loved Hannah and every memory of her. So the box was filled with every silly love note that they wrote while they were at their schools, a pair of sunglasses and her last years 'I love you' valentine. Jamie almost satisfied with his project, then placed a penknife inside...he smiled at how he got it..._

_Last summer, David had a huge idea to bet Jamie that he couldn't get Father to say 'Buer'...well, Jamie did. They were in the middle of watching a rugby match England vs Scotland, and Jamie and David were cheering on the wrong team...well according to Hector that is. Lizzie and Molly were also in the library gathered around Hector and the boys._

_"Psstt," David said to Jamie, "I bet you can't get him to say..." David whispered to Jamie and showed off his pen knife, "Go on, do it, I'll give you this..." _

_Jamie nodded his head as the boys cheered out together without the help of Archie, "GO England!" at the team England's latest goal. Hector groaned out dramatically, "I don't believe it!" and stuffed his tweed hat into his mouth, gave the telly a outraged face, as he was miffed by the goal. _

_Hector then gave the boys the look of death, "I dear say you boys! You should root for your home team! English- pfft! Nothing but a bunch of buered pansies who should be home playing hop-scotch with their mumzies! What?" Hector glanced at Molly with a disgusted look on her face at his cursing especially in front of their bairns. _

_Molly sat on the divan with her latest detective novel in her hands as the telly went fuzzy as Hector stood up to fix it. Behind Hector's back Jamie and David were tee heeing at how livid Hector was—especially at how they had helped rile him up to talk about how much he disliked the English and supported Scots. Archie was on the floor, sitting cross legged as he looked up to David and Jamie wondering what on earth was so funny. _

_Lizzie then made a retort as she sat beside David, "Rugby, what's with it? A bunch of sweaty, overgrown, and smelly men running around piling on top of each other and all for one tiny leather ball..."_

_"That remark chills me so! It's the principle young lady!" Hector remarked as David nudged Lizzie and whispered in her ear next, "I should have had you try to get him to say it..."_

_Lizzie laughed and rolled her eyes, and then Hector tooted off his horn, "Men play men games, Elizabeth! Women, well, they have their duties and tending to home, hearth and the bairns!"_

_"Oh good lord, Hector, we don't live in the Stone Age..." Molly commented and Hector blew off Molly's smarty retort as his hand banged on the telly hoping that would make the reception better, but it didn't. _

_"I do say woman, you shouldn't speak unless spoke to! I think you broke it!"_

_"Father, move these..." Jamie added, as he got up to help Hector and moved the pair of rabbit ears on the TV so the picture became less fuzzy. David laughed again and slipped Jamie his pen knife without Hector looking. Hector beamed proudly that Jamie had fixed his telly, "Very good son, very good...I don't know what we, Scots, would do without you."_

_"You're so against TV..." Molly added to her husband without taking her eyes from her book._

_"This is different dear woman! It's an ever important game! I will not listen to it on the radio! Instead I will watch it with my sons without your..."_

_"Ah-ha, Hector, you be nice or you'll be visiting England at bed time..." Molly remarked as Hector gave in and sat himself down beside Archie. Archie added, "Let's GO Scotland!" and gave Jamie and David a dirty look as Hector beamed again—slapping a young Archie on the shoulders proudly and giving him an embrace, "That's my boy!"_

_Jamie heard footsteps and his mother's voice calling him out into the hall as he quickly closed the box and looked around the room, wondering where he'd bury it. _

_Jamie's face then lit up at the fireplace, as he hankered down and in the nick of time shoved the box up inside. He stashed it away just before Molly entered the room dressed for the party. _

_"You're not ready yet? Hannah's called and David rang too."_

_"Oh, Mum..." Jamie laughed._

_"Well, she's coming, is she not?" Molly loved Hannah to pieces and she thought she was very good for Jamie, regardless of Hector's thoughts about the subject._

_"Of course she is and so is David..." Jamie smiled as Molly looked down at Jamie's covered with soot hands..._

_"You can't hold Hannah's hand or dance with her looking like that, can you?"_

_"Right!" Jamie scooted Molly out of the room to get changed. _

_Later that evening in the middle of friends and family kicking up their heels to reel music, Scottish country dancing and waltzing, Jamie and David schemed as both boys wandered up to Molly. _

_"Be dears, bring out some Wassail…"_

_"Actually Mother we were hoping to take the 'gals' for a stroll…" Jamie added as David nodded his head in agreement. Hannah and Lizzie approached them. Hannah dressed in a plaid gown with a shawl and Lizzie with a tartan gown and a shawl to match too. Both girls had their blonde locks swept into up dos. Molly grinned from ear to ear, especially at Jamie and David, sporting kilts, sporrans and diamond buttoned black tailored jackets with white dress shirts underneath. Molly waved the teenagers on as Lizzie and Hannah's shoes tapped away as Jamie and David tromped on in their shiny black boots._

_As soon as they made it out of the house, Jamie grinned, David grinned back and Lizzie and Hannah exchanged curious looks. "Let's go girls!" David called out as Lizzie chuckled, "What's going on?"_

_"Well, we're going for a ride…" Jamie laughed as David and he hopped up into a swanky speedboat and planning on going for a ride._

_"That's Kilwillie's he'll maime us all if something happens to it, Jamie, David…we can't take it!" Lizzie shouted out as Jamie tried to help Hannah into the boat and David hushed Lizzie. _

_"Shhh…are you coming or not Lemonade queen?"_

_"Davy…" Lizzie looked back at the house and then to the boat as Hannah encouraged, "C'mon, Lizzie!" Jamie waved her over too._

_"What about Archie?' Lizzie said as David remarked, "What an' have him tattle on us? Notta chance! C'mon Lizzie! Thatta girl!" David held out his hand to Lizzie. Lizzie took it and climbed in. David and Jamie both grabbed Kilwillie's boat ores as they rowed the speedboat from the shore. _

_When the boat was far from the sight of the house, Jamie turned the boat key that Kilwillie had left and pulled the throttle handle back, stepped on the gas and off went the boat. _

_David and Jamie both yelled out "WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"_

_Lizzie and Hannah laughed. _

_The boat zipped and zoomed into the middle of the loch as the waves lapped the port and starboard sides and the wake 'v'-ed behind the boat. The house became smaller and smaller. Jamie let David take over the driving as the boat bounced over the waves and then headed straight for an inlet. David cut the engine and Jamie nodded his head… as he presented by torch light a bottle of Hector's malt whiskey. _

_"Oh goodness, you took that from Father!" Lizzie cried out as David replied, "No, we borrowed it and we'll give it back shortly…"_

_"C'mon now…" Lizzie folded her arms across her chest. Jamie and David passed the bottle back and forth before giving it to Hannah, who took a swig of the whiskey too. And then her face turned many colors as she gasped for air. Jamie laughed and sat down beside Hannah "You all right?"_

_"Sure, I think…" Hannah coughed and David held out the bottle to Lizzie. Lizzie snatched the bottle from him as she gulped down the liquor fast and didn't flinch when she handed it back to him. Lizzie could savor whiskey just like her father. _

_"Brave girl."_

_"I have MacDonald blood, you should know that by now," Lizzie joked as David arched a brow and Jamie chuckled…not at David or Lizzie since he was lip locked with Hannah. David shined the torch in Jamie and Hannah's direction but they didn't budge. David and Lizzie cocked their heads at the pair and then Lizzie uncomfortably glanced over to David. David smiled while shining the torchlight to his face and trying to make Lizzie giggle and she did._

_Hours later, Jamie cuddled to Hannah, Lizzie rested her head onto David's shoulder and they listened to the nature while counting stars that lit up the sky. Lizzie then added, "We probably should go back," Lizzie said with David's coat around her shoulders. David slipped an arm around her before glancing to Jamie, "Drive back?"_

_"Ah, yeah, lets go!" Jamie replied as he stood up parked himself into the driver's seat before cranking the engine and off Kilwillie's boat went…Jamie sped up the boat as it bounced over waves again as the boat approached the house. Jamie swerved the wheel, jerking just right to hit a rock below as the propeller then fell off with the hit. The boat couldn't slow down as it headed straight for the rock jetty. _

_Jamie and David hollered out to Lizzie and Hannah as they latched onto them, "Abandon ship!" Both lads and lasses skipped out just in the nick of time as the boat hit the rock jetty, and then skidded up onto shore and the back court yard. _

_Lizzie screamed, "My dress! It's ruined!"_

_"Aye, but you didn't lose your life!" Jamie retorted as he picked up Hannah and the group treaded and then waded out of chest deep in water as best as they could._

_Hannah feeling ill due to motion sickness and quarter of a bottle of whiskey taking affect on her chimed, "I'm gonna retch…"_

_"Han?" Jamie asked with concern as she wandered towards the house with Lizzie. _

_The guests at the Hogmanay party heard the disturbing crash and Hector, Molly and Kilwillie approached the disaster. Kilwillie in horror cried out, "My Betsy!" when he spotted his boat, "What is the meaning of this?"_

_"Children?" Hector eyed Jamie and then David as Molly carted a soggy Lizzie and Hannah inside. David and Jamie glanced at each other, noting they were in fact in a lot of trouble._

_"Sorry, um, we took your boat for a ride, Kilwillie…"_

_Kilwillie growled, "Who did this! Who drove it?" Kilwillie glared at his speedboat and the state it was in…a big heap of scrap metal._

_Jamie hung his now pounding head in shame and David eyed Kilwillie and retorted bravely, "I did. It was me."_

_"You willful, daft, numpty lad! I'll be having a word with your…"_

_"No Kilwillie, I did it. It wasn't David!" Jamie said pathetically as Hector gazed at his prized son and gasped out, "Jamie?"_

_Kilwillie gasped too, "I expected it from him," Kilwillie gave a nod in David's direction and not Jamie's, "Not you!"_

_"Kilwillie, they're just young lads…" Hector tried to clear the air with his old chum before the situation turned ugly._

_"They damaged my boat, Hector! I hold you fully responsible for your nitwitted son's actions!"_

_"Nitwit? Darn you, Kilwillie! It was an accident!" Hector bellowed out with a sharp nod of his head._

_"No accident and I intend to sue to the full extent of the law! What a despicable way to ring in the New Year!" Kilwillie muttered and cursed angrily while jaunting towards the house. Hector looked at Jamie sadly, 'Why?'_

_"Sorry Father!" Jamie called out as Hector said nothing and bolted off to the house._

_David remarked with a whistle, "Party over."_

_"Kilwillie—my son has more brain cells then you and Bonnie Prince Charlie's army put together!" Hector walked past the gawking party guests and followed Kilwillie into the front hall._

_"Your son can't spell I.Q.!"_

_"Kilwillie, you sorry excuse for a rodent! Don't march out when being spoken too!"_

_"You cantankerous cumbersome fool!" Kilwillie shouted back as Hector growled taken back by Kilwillie's verbal attack, "How dare you insult me in the front hall of my house!"_

_"How dare you insult me!"_

_"It's my house I can say what I please! Therefore, don't let the door slap you on the way out!"_

_"20 years of friendship, down the tubes because of you!" Kilwillie muttered and cursed under his breath as he stomped away. _

_"Yea! Well don't come back! Good riddance!" Hector snapped out Molly noticed Hector in the front hall angry, hurt and slightly confused. Molly approached him only for Hector to sound out, "He's an over cooked fatty calf anyway! Nothing fit for a laird! Where's my boy—he needs a good talking too!"_

_"Hector, please!" Molly said as she put herself in front of her husband, hoping to keep him from scolding Jamie for his 'unusual' behavior and Hector said, "Outta my way, Molly!"_

_"Perhaps you should calm down first, deal with our guests and talk to them. I'll deal with the children," Molly replied as faces from the main 'ball' room appeared in the door way listening in on Hector and Molly. _

_"Kilwillie--his name shall be blackened forever in this house, especially for speaking ill of my boy! He's going to Oxford soon---who is he to say that Jamie can't sound out eye que-heh!" Hector trumpeted in disgust before going into the party room. _

**June 1985**

_It was a warm, sunny and pleasant day at the Glenbogle House. Molly was in her garden weeding out her flower beds. Hector was in the middle of playing with his trains. Lizzie and Katrina walked down the dusty lane with the house coming into view as they chatted 'girly.' And the boys were being boys..._

_Jamie, Archie and the family Labrador, 'le chien' were in amidst of Hector's beloved Dauntless dingy, rowing towards the island. They wanted to check it out and see if Golly was right about his Great Grandfather being buried out there. So the brothers were up for the adventure as their oars paddled them towards the tiny pine tree and rock…_

_"He said he was buried out there!" A young Archie added, while he stuck his oar into the water and helped 'shove on'. _

_"I know, but we have to get out there first…besides…what if we run into her…" Jamie teased, hoping to put his younger brother through a fright by making him think they wouldn't be alone on the island._

_"Who?" Archie asked curiously._

_Jamie then stuck his oar into the water and helping Archie by paddling, he smiled mischievously at his brother and added in a spooky voice, "The Maiden of the Loch…"_

_"Nuh-uh! I don't believe it! Not for a second!"_

_"It's true!" Jamie said while trying to contain his laughter._

_"If so, why are you laughing?" Archie shot back as Jamie voiced, "Arch, keep paddling!"_

_Le chien started to bark at the water, every time the paddles splashed into the waves and then the fish began to jump too. The dog wouldn't cease barking…_

_Molly dug a hole for her petunias and then yanked at weeds around her rose bushes as she heard out in the distance barking, at first Molly didn't think much of it. Barking, boys shouting and then an nauseous feeling rushed over her as she stuck her shovel into the soil, fixed her straw hat, and pulled off her garden gloves before running off to the shore. _

_Molly heard more yelling and wails, mostly from Archie._

_"HELP! MUM, HELPP!"_

_"Archieee!" Molly screamed back as Lizzie and Katrina zipped out into the back garden to see the scene: Archie latched onto the capsized dingy, and no sign of Jamie or the family pooch._

_Golly and Hector met in the dinning room before glancing out the window at the gathering on the shore. Hector immediately retorted, "Dear god, Golly! It's Archie! Where's Jamie? Le chien! Ring for help-quickly!"_

_The village folk were at the church to pay their respects to Hector and Molly, aside from Lizzie and Archie. Molly spent the whole service weeping into a handkerchief, Lizzie sniffled through, Archie sat there wide-eyed with guilt and David hung his head beside him in thorough sadness. Kilwillie watched the family from a distance and once the Reverend finished 'massacring' the ceremony---or so Hector whispered it to Molly…the villagers, friends and family vacated the stone building just before Kilwillie approached it. _

_Molly noticed Kilwillie at the close, "Hello Molly dear…"_

_"Kilwillie…" Molly hugged him and he wiped tears from her face with his hand, "See Hector, tend to him…" Molly whisked herself away._

_Kilwillie entered the church as he noticed Hector all alone, and sitting at a pew beside Jamie's casket. Hector didn't blink and he was starry-eyed, set in a trance---mulling over the loss of his golden boy. Kilwillie cleared his throat and Hector snapped out of his state of gloom. _

_"I say, my name's not blackened in the church is it?" Kilwillie added gentlemanly. _

_Hector spoke up, "There comes a time in one's life Kilwillie when you don't hold grudges, even six month long grudges anymore." Hector turned to Kilwillie and Kilwillie with his tweed hat in his hands as he sat beside his old feuding, but bosom friend._

_"I wanted to say sorry for Hogmanay night, dear chap."_

_Hector sighed, "Kilwillie, it was my fault. I assumed Jamie would never do such a thing and well, he did. Archie's the one who seems to have done wrong--- talking nonsense, convincing Jamie to go out on the water in my dingy. There's no sense in beating the dead horse about, is there?"_

_"No, I s'pose not, but Archie's just a wee lad, Hector."_

_"A lad who should have known better in my book..."_

_"I am the one to apologize to you. You see, my carelessness is the cause…perhaps if I hadn't left the keys in the boat or maybe if I had replaced this it wouldn't have crashed into the jetty after all." Kilwillie held out his brand new propeller to show off and Hector took it with a small chuckle._


	2. Parts 4 and 5

**Chapter Four---Uh-Ohs**

**June 1985**

_Lizzie perched herself on a rock over looking the loch. The late afternoon sun began to set, and the Glenbogle Ball with his reel music, steel drums and bagpipes came flowing out of the house. Lizzie still couldn't believe that her parents wanted the ball to go on, especially after losing Jamie. However, Molly and Hector wouldn't have it any other way because the show must go. However, the world stopped for Lizzie and Archie and neither wanted to attend the Glenbogle Ball. _

_Archie hid in his room, banging on his drum set, or zoning out to a radio. He didn't even emerge from his room when Hector called for him to usher ball guests in or to be dressed snazzy in his dress coat and tartan trousers. Lizzie needed to get away from the façade which is the family's still happy and cheery even though Jamie had been buried hours ago. _

_Lizzie wasn't alone, not as alone as she assumed she was...David wandered down the path from the house as he had just arrived with his mother and father—dressed up too in a suit coat and kilt with a sporran and boots to match. _

_"You know, the party's in there, not out here," David cracked a joke before sitting himself down beside Lizzie. Lizzie sat in her overalls and tee-shirt as she refused to dress for the ball. She refused to be overjoyed on a day of doom. _

_"I'm not going."_

_"Lizzie?"_

_"David, Jamie---?"_

_"Jamie would have wanted everyone to move on. You parents are just doing what's best for them selves."_

_"Not for me, not for Archie. Father blames him for Jamie's drowning," Lizzie twisted her hands. David nudged her shoulder and asked, "Did he say that?"_

_"Not exactly, but he implies it. I feel horrible for Archie. He's got his own guilt you know." Lizzie scanned out over the loch and the distant cairngorms still speckled with snow. Lizzie then sighed out, "Jamie's birthday's in a couple weeks. My smart favored brother now in the ground and not here wandering the earth getting ready to...?" Lizzie's eyes all clouded up and then tears streamed down her cheeks, "I miss him. I miss him bugging me about footing around a soccer ball or racing with him on our bicycles...Father doesn't look to me with high hopes like he did Jamie. Father doesn't want me going off to Art School in London when I finally turn 18—he wants me to get married and start a family! I envied Jamie...getting to go off to Oxford, bldy everything was about Oxford and Jamie and how he'd cure diseases and solve hunger as a doctor."_

_"Hey, I'm still here, Lizzie. Jamie and I were supposed to challenge the rowing team...sit side by side. Hard to believe I'm going to Oxford and he won't be."_

_"Sorry if I'm self-centered. I miss him, Davy, I really miss my brother."_

_Lizzie silenced herself with that remark and David glanced out to the water too. Lizzie wiped her face with her hands as David pulled off his jacket and set it on Lizzie's shoulders. David embraced Lizzie by wrapping an arm around her, as she set her head on his shoulder, leaning into him._

_"It's okay to be sad Lizzie. I'm pretty down and out too," David tipped his head to look at Lizzie's face. Her eyes were red, she sniffled more, as he planted a kiss on her forehead. David waited for a reaction from her and when he didn't get one, he brushed his lips to her cheek, nipping away fallen tears. Lizzie just relaxed into David and before they both knew it...eighteen year old David and a sixteen year old Lizzie kissed each others pain away. _

Lizzie woke up from a weird dream, starving, and ready to eat. She glanced around her kitchen, noting that she didn't have anything that would please her stomach. Lizzie decided to take matters into her own hands as her mind added in a pinch---_fish and chips will do..._ Lizzie didn't care if it was meat she now craved, she just wanted food.

On that note, Lizzie, still dressed in her jim-jams scurried off to change and then after she strapped and tied on her sneakers—Lizzie traveled out the door and arrived at Ghillie's Rest in Molly's car. It didn't take Lizzie long to make it to the bar as she smiled at Dougal, who was still managing Ghillie's even under Paul's care and asked, "Fish and Chips, please."

"Afternoon, Lizzie. I thought you'd be---?"

"Day off at the shop," Lizzie grinned and nodded, "Paul about?"

Dougal pointed Lizzie in the direction of the office. Lizzie strolled up to the door and knocked, "Knock knock, you there?"

Paul buried his face in invoices before noticing Lizzie, "Hello, I think so, what can I do for you--Lizzie?"

"Hi, came by for fish and chips, you hungry? You have lunch?" Lizzie asked as Paul as he closed the accounting book and set down some papers.

"Lunch sounds good at 2pm," Paul teased as Lizzie said quietly, "I wasn't feeling up to par this morning and well…"

"You feel better?"

"Yeah, just need lunch company…" Lizzie hinted again as Paul laughed, stood up from the desk and followed Lizzie outside of Ghillie's to a nearby green umbrella topped picnic table on the porch and Dougal came out with Lizzie's lunch and her fizzy water.

Lizzie then said, "I have a secret and you can not tell anyone, even Archie."

Paul tipped his head to the side and asked, "What kind of secret?"

"You have to swear you won't say anything, Paul."

"Well, depends on the secret, life threatening yes, life altering no," Paul eyed Lizzie closely. He had grown to like having a sister, especially Lizzie. "You sure you're all right?"

"Life altering, I'm pregnant Paul."

"Huh?" Paul's eyes went wide and Lizzie picked at her lunch with a fork.

"Aye, I haven't been with Graeme for weeks and then David pops up weeks ago…"

"Well, you need to see a doctor, Lizzie."

"I will…"

"Why did you tell me?"

"'Cause I trust you to keep quiet..."

"It's safe with me," Paul smiled warmly while arching his brows and Lizzie arched her own.

"Now you tell me where Susan went off too and why?" Lizzie said as Paul chuckled, "There's a catch-hey-with me keeping your secret?"

"Paul, you look terrible."

"Why thank-you," answered Paul sarcastically as he made an animated face at Lizzie.

Lizzie stared at him and then Paul gave in, "I wanna marry Susan and every time I try to consider asking, I get the words all jumbled…Susan left for America to see her father, assume he's dying, haven't heard from her—was supposed to phone and hasn't. Suzy wants to move out when she gets back."

"And you don't want her to go."

Paul shook his head no and then Lizzie smiled, "What's stopping you from showing up in America to ask her?"

"I've got no interest in going to Texas, mostly due to her father and his strong dislike of me."

"Oh," Lizzie answered.

"It's gonna be all right, I promise ya, Lizzie."

"I know, I had Martha and raised her myself…I can handle another on my own as well."

"What about Graeme? You're certain about raising another baby on your own? You should tell the father..."

"_If I knew who it is_...I've been thinking about breaking up from Graeme."

"Breaking up?"

"I can't marry him."

"You still love David?"

Lizzie didn't answer and instead asked, "You still love Susan?"

Paul smiled, "Of course I do."

"Then you must not let her move out…" Lizzie smiled back, changing the subject to Paul and Susan before taking another sip of her water.

That night, down at Shepard's Way Cottage, Paul busied himself with the Wildlife Centre paper work and then scanned over the finishing loan for the Indoor Climbing Area. Nigel was tucked into bed and Paul finished a glass of brandy just before a knock came to the door.

Paul rose up from his chair and answered the door just a plaque with a 54 pound stuffed pike greeted him. Paul laughed as he received the gift from his night visitor, Archie. There was also a gold plated label just below the fish which read: _Landed by: Paul and Nigel Bowman, 2006 First Annual Glenbogle Fishing Derby._

"I decided you needed a bit of cheering up..."

"With the fish?"

"After all, the thing pretty much killed our father and since Nigel and you won the derby fair and square," Archie smiled while looking at the fish and it's yellow and red lure which was buried deep inside of it---the lure that belonged to Hector which amazingly survived for five years.

Paul glanced at the lure too and laughed proudly, "What a way for a fish to end its life-aye? Thank-you Archie, I'll put it on the wall for all to see."

"And…" Archie announced as Useless entered the cottage, "I figured you needed a wee mate."

Paul bent down and gave Useless a good pat on the head. The cocker spaniel was thrilled to see Paul. Archie had a bag over his shoulder of Useless's things.

"Useless should come live with you and Mother agrees since she suggests it," Archie replied as Paul glanced up at him, "What do you mean?"

"He misses you tossing in sticks down at the loch and him retrieving. Every time I try, he won't fetch. You're the only one he'll do it for. In fact father gave him his name because he wouldn't fetch for him either."

"It's very generous of you, Archie, but he's your dog. I can't take him."

"No, he's your dog," Archie smiled again, "And you can take him, because Susan…"

"Okay, okay, welcome Useless," as Paul clamed right up, he didn't need another conversation about Susan…first Lexie, then Lizzie and now Archie…thankfully Molly and Golly were still on honeymoon or Paul would have gotten an earful from them as well. Archie pulled out an airplane ticket and let it drop to the coffee table, before glancing around the room, "I haven't been here since Katrina—you and Susan have really cleaned up the place—quite homey, I might add."

"What's that?" Paul eyed the plane ticket.

"My influencing you to go after Susan…"

"Sets us back a bit?"

"Paul, Lex told me you tried to ask Susan to marry you finally."

"Right well, it didn't happen and I'm not going after her, Archie. Susan ran off before and she'll be back if she knows what's good for her."

Archie laughed loud, "You sound like Father."

Paul winced at the fact that he thought like Hector, a man he's only met in photographs and paintings.

"Look the Fish Farm's settled, the Wildlife, Outdoor Activity Centre and even Ghillie's are in good hands---I'd look out for them. Your house is almost standing and the Indoor Climbing Area too. The sheep show amphitheater's getting there…Sean's cooking the books for the estate..."

"I get your point Archie. I just know Suzy and she'll be back…"

"The money, the ticket doesn't set us back…and with Sean's grant, life's been pretty bearable with getting everything up and running smoothly and I seem to have a wee bit more time on my hands to help out Lexie." Archie encouraged, as Paul said, "No, I can't take that. Thanks anyway."

"Nothing's worth having, if you don't chase after it, Paul."

"Thanks for the advice, but I'd much rather stay here. Just in case I change my mind, you keep the ticket."

Archie sighed, "All right, I s'pose. What are ya having?"

"Brandy. Might as well have a night cap while you're here," Paul handed Archie a short glass and then Archie parked himself on Susan's floral sofa, the one that Paul fought with her about while trying to move it into the cottage. Susan wanted it and Paul didn't but she flipped a coin for it and Paul lost the toss.

"How's Sean?" Paul asked quietly while bruiting over Susan in the back of his mind and how they ended up with her sofa—everything in the cottage reminded him of her—even the photographs on the walls.

"Moved into Golly's old cabin as planned and Jess moved in as well."

"That's gonna go over smoothly with Golly," Paul said sarcastically--knowing Golly would have a field day when he found out his daughter's living with her 40 year old boyfriend and in his old house.

"Aye-yeah, well, Golly's been busy with marrying Mother and getting to know Claire. Claire mentioned something about Golly seeing her when she was four."

"Oh?"

"According to Golly...Father and Golly would have night caps like us, and they would chat about..."

"Me? Golly made note of it..."

"Yeah, that's right, you or your mother—they rarely spoke of Golly's life—apparently Golly was a sounding board for Father—hence Father never knew about Jess or Claire—Golly's daughters. Golly kept to himself all the time."

"Okay, go on."

"Well, Father begged Golly to take a journey to Yorkshire years and years ago."

"Really?" Paul tipped his head to the side as Archie smiled, "Really..."

"Why didn't---?"

"Apparently if Father went it would be too obvious to Mother that he was hiding something---?"

"Hiding me, you mean."

"Anyway, Golly went to Yorkshire, actually ran into Annette, Claire's mother and---?"

"Because we all lived in the same building at that time---but Golly was too late I was already off to the Army by then."

"Precisely, I'm really sorry Paul for the way things went down here..."

"My mother never said anything about Golly visiting but then again she didn't want anything from Hector. Why be sorry?"

"For treating you the way I did when you arrived so long ago. I was purely upset at the fact that I had another brother floating around and I hadn't met you. I feared more that you would take---?"

"The lairdship away? Archie, I'm an 'illegitimate' son...like I said before why would I want to be laird? Certainly Susan wouldn't want Nye to be...sorry, bringing up Susan again..."

"No Paul, but my point is, we've done a decent job running this obsolete and now booming place. I'm relieved that we are working together quite well after Mother's suggestion."

"We're brothers and we should be working together _and not being wishy-washy_."

Archie nodded his head and Paul asked, "Did Hector hear anything about me from Golly?"

"I'm not sure in fact...I meant to bring father's 1983-1984 journals with me. I assumed he would have written about you."

"Maybe he did."

"Jamie passed in 1985 and I read that journal. Boy he was angry with me."

"How do you mean?"

"He blamed me for Jamie's death. All that time I blamed myself and Father turned his nose down at me? He never came out and said it though and I spent years away from the estate because of him." Archie grumbled, while Paul looked at him sympathetically.

"You've been holding this in..."

"For quite sometime and he didn't want me marrying Lexie, that's for sure."

Paul smiled, "You're trying to talk me into going to Texas again, the round about way?"

"The MacDonald way actually, when you want something done, you do it your way or the skyway." Archie joked, "Aside from the fact that Father didn't even want Jamie with Hannah Harrison."

"Hannah Harrison?"

"She's MacKechnie's granddaughter and was the love of Jamie's life..."

"MacKechnie's store?"

"Aye, yep, Jamie was madly in love with her ever since they were both in public school, before Father sent Jamie off to boarding school. Father had high hopes for Jamie to go off to Oxford and be a doctor, and not a 'common' merchant. If Jamie had ended up with Hannah...that would have sealed his shop keeper fate."

"Oh," Paul chuckled and then added, "Good thing I missed out on that then?"

"Imagine Father finding about you and Susan and how against it he'd be---mostly due to her 'Thatcher' relation. Father despised Margaret Thatcher...he'd call her that republican Thatcher woman---dang it she's done it again and then go off on some political rant." as Archie imitated Hector and Paul sent him an animated smile.

"Another words I'd be keeping up with his tradition of disliking his spawn marrying off to the wrong kind."

"Exactly, except, I don't know how he would have reacted to David and Lizzie...apparently Mother says he was in complete ubber shock but accepted it."

"Right..." as Paul thought about Lizzie and her secret.

"Father liked him," Archie said distressed, considering Archie still didn't care for David and his sly ways.

"You don't understand why?"

"I think its cause David was Jamie's best friend and he acts like his father, Lionel—very stuffy, aristocratic, and charming as a sea slug. I know Father wouldn't have thought much about Graeme _since he sounds Australian and swears up and down he's never been there._ I can hear Father in my head harassing Lizzie about_ why _she's not betrothed to David---the rightful father of Martha."

"Right..." Paul tried to keep Lizzie's secret to himself as much as he wanted to tell Archie, he didn't.

"Lizzie shouldn't marry Graeme," as Archie dumped out his mind waiting for Paul to add his cents in...

"No she probably shouldn't. Archie..."

"Paul, what's a matter?"

"I think you need to hear this from Lizzie."

"Hear what from Lizzie?"

"Lizzie's breaking up from Graeme," Paul couldn't break trust with Lizzie on the baby news. He wouldn't tell Archie as much as he wanted too.

"Well, good, at least she's using her brain for something..." Archie teased as he downed the rest of his brandy and then Paul poured him another.

**Chapter Five---Seize the Moment?**

David had a lot to do for Kilwillie's next beef convention as he glanced up at the coo-coo clock and it struck ten o'clock. Kilwillie had allowed David to work late but on one condition that he focused on just the businesses that were coming to sample his beef—meaning making the phone calls and finding out the RSVPs.

"Right, yes, 2pm..." David chattered into the phone receiver only to see Lizzie arrive in the door way. Flora smiled at Lizzie, "He's in there."

"Flora," Lizzie turned to look at her, "You're all right?"

Flora just nodded her head, and she never came clean to Lizzie about her liking David at one point in time. Flora now knew about David and Lizzie's history and she decided to steer clear of them both.

"Flora?"

"Lizzie...marvelous surprise," David met Lizzie at the door way and went to kiss her cheek, but Lizzie dodged him.

"Where's she going?" Lizzie turned to David and he shrugged with his rolled sleeved arms and his hands in his pockets, "You here to walk me home?"

David beamed as Lizzie laughed, "I only came because someone rang me at 9pm—didn't leave a message in my cell. Martha's at Jess and Sean's for the night. Jess and Martha begged me and well, I caved in. We went down to check out Jess and Sean's 'new' place."

"Right, me, I'm the guilty party for ringing you at such an hour. You must have been in a bad area for reception?"

"It didn't ring, so I assume so---then again it's slim to none when trying to find reception. I drove by your mother's and saw no vehicle and then decided to swing by here."

"Lizzie..."

"David?"

"I need your PR help," David confessed and overjoyed to have Lizzie to himself.

"I'm not PR anymore, David. I'm a masseuse, remember?" Lizzie laughed as David's face went serious.

"I'm trying to book five companies at a hotel, arrange their meals, their agendas and everything else to fit Kilwillie's..."

"Prime beef convention?"

David nodded with a huge smile, "Help me? I'm better with numbers, figures, but not PR work you know this."

"Actually, I can do that, except..."

"Does Graeme prevent you...?"

"No, Graeme's away in Aberdeen until tomorrow afternoon."

"Well done! We can burn the midnight oil together then!" David shouted out as he carted Lizzie to sit down in his leather backed office chair.

"David..." Lizzie took a look at his beef convention agenda on the pc and then looked up at him. David kept leafing through pages of data on the laptop.

"I'm late."

"Huh? No, the times on here have to work..."

"Not the times on the agenda, David, my body is late."

David sent Lizzie a perplexed look before it set in that he knew what she was talking about...

"I'm pregnant. I wasn't going to say anything, but I took quite a few tests today."

"Oh about sixteen?" David teased Lizzie remembering she took sixteen when she was pregnant with Martha and making sure of it. Lizzie also kept the pregnancy from him for about four months.

"No, Mr. Smarty-Pants, I took three."

"It can't be me, right? Surely you're joking. I mean you've..." David's wiry grin formed and nervously he ran his hand through his wavy hair.

"David, I don't know and it's not a joke," Lizzie rolled her eyes at David and his becoming suddenly dismissive.

"I guess this means you're really marrying on?" David arched a brow at Lizzie and hinting she was marrying Graeme. David had a heart somewhere buried in his body and it ached for Lizzie. Especially the Lizzie who wanted him one night long ago and said she was going to dump Graeme—but didn't.

Lizzie went silent and David pried for an answer, "Lizzie?"

"I don't want to marry Graeme. We didn't move in together, you know this, your stunt with the custody papers...the origami animals..."

"And amphibian?" David laughed about the frog...Lizzie didn't talk to him about her reaction to the papered apology or the rose. He just assumed Lizzie was allowing him to see Martha out of the goodness of her heart and the fact that he dropped the custody case. "I dropped that case because of you, you know and the fact you are still very much apart of me."

"I know. I've been going over everything in my mind..."

"I see."

"David, I haven't been with Graeme since you came back..."

"It could still be his baby, Lizzie."

"I don't think so..."

"If it's not his baby and it's my baby, then what do you propose we do about it?" David asked as Lizzie stared off into space.

"Lizzie---Hi Mama bear?" David snapped his fingers in front of her face to bring her back to reality.

"Oh right, sorry, silly of me, coming here, explaining that...good luck with the planning," said Lizzie as she bolted up from the chair only for David to react, "Where are you going?"

"I'm..."

"You drop a missile on me, Lizzie and then you high tail it out of here? Not likely, come sit down—please?" David showed some anguish with his concern because of her current state.

"I'm not sure of how to take it David. I'm separating from Graeme as soon as he gets back. Graeme was upset that I didn't want us moving in and he's..."

"...going to be even more livid that you aren't his wife," David beamed proudly assuming he now had a way into Lizzie's life permanently.

"Maybe, Graeme's a very good judge of character. I just don't see myself with him."

"Right...who do you see yourself with?"

"Um..."

David led Lizzie back to his desk chair and sat her down with a tender reply, "I've missed you." David then gave her a smooch and Lizzie allowed him to do so, "What do you say?"

"I'm not sure of what to say, David."

"Miss me back then?" David pushed as Lizzie gazed up into his eyes and then leaned in to kiss David again.

Lizzie woke up with a crick in her neck and rolled her body over on the mattress that took over her lounge room floor. She stared at the white whirls in her ceiling and then became nauseous before closing her eyes again. David rolled over to his side to cuddle up to Lizzie.

"Morning..." David murmured as Lizzie shot her eyes right open and she had forgotten that David was there. David waited for a reply before, "You all right, lovey?"

"I was all right...Graeme's expected back today David..." Lizzie mumbled and then tried to sit up, moving herself away from him.

"Oh right...break up time?" David whistled while turning to his side and acting like breaking up with someone was an easy thing to do like tying one's shoes.

"You want that, don't ya?" Lizzie narrowed her hazel eyes in on David.

"You said it was what you wanted..." David gave her a look of disbelief that Lizzie would go back on her word again.

"I do want it."

"Then why are you acting like you, don't?"

"We're not going to end up where we were weeks ago, if you worried about that..."

"Lizzie, it's me you want right? You're sure about it?"

"David—not again," Lizzie rolled her eyes and became defensive, "Don't question my authority on this matter. I mean it, David."

"Sorry, just checking—you know I've been waiting a long time for you to come around."

"Me? You speak really highly of yourself...what if the baby I'm prancing around with isn't yours?"

"Well, I prance around with you until we know for sure that it is."

"David! You're just going to drop me like a sack of King Edwards if it's not your baby?" Lizzie retorted alarmed and David tried to calm her down by snuggling her closer to him.

"Lizzie, sweet darling Lizzie, we have Martha and we'll have this baby too---even if a paternity test doesn't prove it." David smiled again.

Lizzie sighed, "I haven't been to the doctor yet."

"Yep, I know we're going soon..."

"David, you're jumping the gun just a wee bit aren't you—you know with the fatherly thing?"

"I fell madly in love with a pregnant Lizzie, remember?"

"And then you left her..."

"Let's not talk about that," David said in denial and helped change the subject back to Lizzie ending her relationship with Graeme.

"Graeme doesn't even know I'm breaking up from him or even pregnant..."

"He will soon though."

"And how did you end up here again?" Lizzie razzed David, even though she remembered very well how he ended up staying with her for the night.

"You took me home with you, remember? Something about Martha at Sean's and Jess's an' you desperately needed me."

"Like a hole in the head?" Lizzie teased as David laughed, "You kidder, Lizzie. You would have fallen asleep at the wheel if I hadn't played chauffeur."

"Right," Lizzie stood herself up from the bed and concluded, "One things for sure I need a new bed. I can't sleep like this heavily pregnant."

"Good, well, when I move in, I'll bring the bed... I'm a 39 year old man living at home Lizzie...does that sound a bit odd to you?" David beamed again as Lizzie tipped her head to the side and remarked, "The body's not even cold yet and you're claiming it as dead! And no it doesn't sound odd because I lived at home for quite awhile too."

"Lizzie, you and I are soul mates remember---no matter how you look at it?"

"And fools rush in."

"I'm no fool."

"Um, you are..." Lizzie joked back to David and she glanced out of the window and noted Graeme's car parking outside of the shop and then a wave of horror swept over her, "Oh gd! He's early!"

"What?" David shot frazzled Lizzie a glance.

"Graeme's back! He's early, you have to go!" Lizzie shouted to David while tossing David his clothes, "I'll stall him, David. You get dressed and get out of here!"

"Lizzie? Oh come on, take a chance…I can go hide in the bathtub while you dump him like today's rubbish! " David cast his eyes up at her. Lizzie scurried over to help him up and out of bed as David grasped Lizzie's arm with his hand and tugged her down to the bed again.

"David! This is serious—you gotta skedaddle!" Lizzie toppled onto David as their lips connected briefly and Lizzie broke free with the words, "I'll ring you later, promise."

"You promise? You're certain?"

"David, I promise!" Lizzie darted in and stole one last kiss from him. However, David didn't even have time to blink as Lizzie tossed clothing on like a Tasmanian devil in a spin and then zipped fast and furiously out of the flat. Lizzie met Graeme at the doorway and tried to cart him towards the shop.

"Lizzie?"

"Hi, I need you to check something in the shop..." Lizzie made up a story as David finished fixing himself and peeked out into the hall and wandered down the steps. In the back of David's mind he hoped Lizzie wasn't playing with him again and indeed leaving Graeme.

Graeme entered the shop as he planted a firm welcome kiss on Lizzie and she turned Graeme away from the door way to distract him from seeing David leave the flat hall, "That's what you had to show me?"

"Ah, yeah, um..." Lizzie began as Graeme tipped his head to the side, "You all right?"

"I'm good."

"Morning early birds!" Jess called out with Martha as she unlocked the shop door and waved at Lizzie and Graeme. "I'm wondering if you want me to drop off Martha at school?"

"Lovely idea Jess, very kind of you to offer, Martha you show Jess upstairs and get ready," Lizzie smiled as she worried about Jess and Martha seeing David, but there was no reaction so Lizzie assumed not.

"Okay Mummy, let's go Jess!" Martha latched her hand onto Jess's and off to the flat they went.

"Actually, I do have shop business... Lascelles sent some mail a couple days ago. It about the accounts... I talked to Archie about checking the books and he wanted to know whereabouts they were."

"I'm sorry Lizzie. I moved the accounting to the computer."

"Archie couldn't find the..."

"Oh no, I must have the information with me."

"It's all right but I believe the shop's being audited and people from Lascelles are coming tomorrow...June 20th."

"Ah, Lizzie today _is_ the 20th." Lizzie then shot Graeme a look of worry.

"Funny when small banks get eaten up by big banks like Lascelles---sounds like Lascelles wants to check out the shop since they bought out my branch. No worry, Lizzie—it's a formality and the branch in Aberdeen's going through the same thing---auditing accounts."

"Graeme, what are we going to do?"

"Don't fret my pet. I'll have everything ready to go when my new colleagues from Lascelles show face here!" Graeme said, but Lizzie didn't notice the nervousness of his tone. He was afraid something like this was going to happen and so soon to Molly's shop.

Meanwhile, Jess helped Martha get ready for school.

"Now you need to brush your teeth," Jess said as she led Martha into the water closet and over to the sink. Martha beamed as she nodded 'yes' at Jess's request. Jess turned on the water, Martha stuck a glob of toothpaste onto her toothbrush and into her mouth it went. Just as Martha set the toothpaste down, it fell to the floor and Jess bent over to pick it up. On Jess's way up, her blue eyes connected with the trash bin and the pregnancy test sticks. Jess stood up to help Martha wipe her face and rise out her toothbrush.

"Jess? Do I go now?" Martha asked as Jess replied, still thinking about the trash, "Yea, let me go to the bathroom first, okay?"

"Okay," Martha scooted out the door and Jess closed it shut. Jess cast her eyes into the trash bin again and then peeked at the three tests after picking them up..._positive, positive and positive._

"Lizzie?" Jess glanced at her reflection into the mirror and then a knock came to the door. Jess dropped the tests back into the trash and replied, "I'll be right there..."

Jess wandered out of the water closet as Martha said with a giggle, "You didn't flush! Mummy doesn't like it when I don't flush!"

Jess laughed, "Of course!" as she wandered over to the toilet and did as she was told. Lizzie strolled back into the flat as Jess and Martha met her at the door.

"Going now Mummy…"

"All right, thank-you Jess."

"No problem," Jess smiled rather googly eyed and Lizzie gave her a strange look and then thought nothing of it. Lizzie remembered the pregnancy evidence and high tailed it to the loo to get rid of the sticks. She shoved them in her pocket so Graeme wouldn't see them. Just as Graeme climbed the stairs to the flat, a silver Audi drove past the shop and stopped out side of Primrose B n' B—Duncan's Aunt Liz's place.


End file.
